Let the crosstown rivalry begin (again).
The Thunder Mountain High School boys basketball team will host Juneau-Douglas High School on Friday and Saturday, giving the Falcons their toughest test so far this season.
The Falcons (3-0) will play the Crimson Bears (4-2) at 8 p.m. both nights.
TMHS won the Little Norway Tournament held in Petersburg in December, easily routing smaller schools such as Haines, Petersburg and Cordova.
Even though TMHS boasts a perfect record, it’s JDHS who has faced stiffer competition so far this year, playing two 4A schools from the Lower 48 — Coronado (Nevada) and Kentlake (Washington). The Crimson Bears lost to Coronado 72-53 during the Doc Larson’s Round Ball Classic in Wasilla, and Kentlake staged a late fourth-quarter comeback in the championship game of the Capital City Classic at JDHS.
Both teams feature high-powered offenses and lead scorers who have put up more than 30 points in a single game this season. JDHS’s Kaleb Tompkins scored 31 against Wasillas, and TMHS’s Chase Saviers had 33 against Cordova.
JDHS has the height advantage, with 6-foot-7 Bryce Swofford in the post, 6-foot-5 Tompkins at the wing and 6-foot-4 Erik Kelly providing a spark off the bench down low.
JV games will start at 6:15 p.m. both days, and C team games will start at 4 p.m.
JDHS HOCKEY RETURNS
The Crimson Bears hockey team should be well rested for its two games against Bartlett High School on Friday and Saturday. The Crimson Bears (1-9) last competition was against Monroe Catholic Dec. 11-12. It lost both games
Friday’s game is at 8 p.m. at Treadwell Arena, and the teams will play again at the same location at 2:45 p.m. Saturday.
